Dennison Elementary School

Be prepared to "fit in" at Dennison with both the faculty and parents. If you have issues with the curriculum or teachers, chances are you will be ostracized and given the cold shoulder. Academically, Dennison is a good school but still follows the Jeffco curriculum. Your kids will get graded for things not related to homework or tests. They push hard at this school, so you will have to deal with those side-effects. Two to three hours of homework a night is common so if you want your child to have a life outside of school, this is not the place.
--Submitted by a parent

This a lottery school, meaning you must come by during the first round of open enrollment to submit your child's name. It is purely by lottery that you can get in. Once in, siblings are on a priority list and are the first to be selected for open seats. Dennison is a school with high expectations for both behavior and academics. It is for committed parents who believe in the school's philosophy. If you believe in a rigorous academic environment that requires discipline and an attitude of excellence, you've come to the right place. One can nitpick over the little trifles as commented below, but the rewards go far beyond giving out candy (which few teacher do). Rewards such as honor roll, SOAR tickets, marble jar parties, and shopping at the "class store" with "class dollars". Parents are encourage to volunteer and be present in the classroom as the teacher sees fit. However, volunteering opportunities dwindle as the children move to upper grades. There are left-wingers here too (myself included), but it's not about politics here it's about a great education for our children. I can only wish that other schools would follow this fundamental model of education as it clearly works.
--Submitted by a parent

I realy interested this school. I want my kids go to Dennison. But I dont know how to enter my kids for this school

As great as all the reviews are, there are some downsides to this school. It feels very punitive. At recess before a party, the teacher said, "If you don't behave we won't have the party." Come on! In the small lunch room, the helper uses a megaphone and what I've heard are hurrying words and punishments of quiet time b/c of too much enthusiasm. On the playground the helper is very controlling, using a megaphone, too. Parents are not encouraged to drop by just to observe; volunteering spots fill up quickly (great!) but if you don't have a smart phone forget about getting a spot. The librarian seems like a nice woman but with the kids she rarely smiles or uses an enthusiastic voice. The parents are fantastic; community seems very right wing conservative. One last criticism with most JeffCo schools, they reward with candy. People seem intimidated to make changes b/c of the difficulty of admission and good reputation.
--Submitted by a parent

I am a parent of 4 sons who have moved through this phenomenal school. It is nothing short of the highest quality education a parent could hope for. Hard work - yes, worth the effort - absolutely! We are so, so thankful for the strong start our children have been given at Dennison.
--Submitted by a parent

Even though public school funding has languished lately because of multiple reasons, the students, teachers, administration, and parents of Dennison have "brought their level up to the game." We do "more with less" than any elementary school in Colorado. Excellence is the only way to describe the Dennison school culture. This is truly a great school!
--Submitted by a parent

Dennison is an absolutely phenomenal school. I have experenced the standard Jeffco (4 yrs) and the Jeffco Gifted and Talented Program (5 yrs), and I would highly recomend Dennison if you are looking for a solid curriculum base and an academic challenge for your child.
--Submitted by a parent

This school has outstanding test scores, which would lead one to believe that this is a school for 'gifted' children. The fact is that there are children with many different acedemic needs and this school does an AMAZING job of teaching all of these children. The school uses a 'total classroom' learning approach and there is no ability grouping. As a parent of a child who struggles, this approach has been helpful to identify areas of weakness. At schools that are ability based, I believe my child would have slipped through the cracks. The commitment from parents, teachers, and administrators at this school is outstanding! I feel very lucky to be a part of this school!
--Submitted by a parent

Dennison is a school with high expectations for both behavior and academics. It is for committed parents who believe in the school's philosophy and not for whiners who want to lower the standards because they are not willing to pay the price for academic success through hard work and discipline. If you believe in a rigorous academic environment that requires discipline and an attitude of excellence, this is the school for you and your child! I give Dennison teachers and an excellent curriculum credit for the success of my children. However, I also take credit as a parent who believes in the Dennison philosophy and for holding my kids to the school's high standards. Just because your child attends Dennison/DeEvlyn does not give them automatic acceptance to Ivy League colleges. It takes hard work and determination.
--Submitted by a parent

My grown childen attended Dennison and it was a wonderful experience in public education. The strong academics of the program was my attraction to the school and I found the community of caring parents & teachers was the icing on the cake. Both my childern are working professionals and I have to give their early education credit for setting them in the right direction.....Warren Petracek/Lakewood CO
--Submitted by a parent